A Tribe Disbanded

The summer is over, and I have again parted company with those glorious individuals I have had the pleasure of living and working with these past few months. Camp has demobilized its summer force, sending them across the globe from which they came. Most have returned to college life, but some are beginning new lives, unemployed and focusing on that next horizon, whether that be an Australian one or an Iowan one.

And my tribe, my Hero's Journey tribe, which disbanded months ago, has settled into their new lives, as white-green as spring buds, in West Virginia, Washington state, Oregon, Colorado ... My fellow shepherds, all of us without a current flock, still standing with crooks in one hand and coffee mugs in the other, not wondering where our sheep have gone, but wondering instead where our next pasture lands will be.

For the next 9 months at least, my pasture lands will be close to Bristol, Rhode Island. I have interviews and meetings arranged for employment, but nothing definite yet. As for residence, I am waiting to hear whether or not I have been approved for a studio apartment two miles north of Roger Williams University. In the mean time, I am reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Pride and Prejudice in tandem, starting rugby practice with the Providence Rugby Club again, and taking free yoga classes, all in the hopes of trying to find a center again from which to work, from which, I hope, creativity and design will wellspring.

Gang Aft Agley

It's been long, too long, since I've published a post. Those both of you who are waiting for me to write again may even be disappointed with this post as well.

There is no such thing as "me time" when you are working at Camp. The best intentions I've had to publish something small over the last few weeks have, ultimately, gone awry.

I can tell you that there is a strong possibility that I have found a job, post-Camp, and that I will most likely be living in Bristol, RI, for the next 9 months. Once I've had a chance to settle in somewhere, the writing will be more frequent and, hopefully, more consistent.

If I hope to accomplish anything with this blog, it is to provide all both of my readers with a humorous thought or image to carry with them for a second, a minute, an hour, or the day. That image today is ...

I cut myself shaving last night. I was exhausted and not being careful, and when I brought the razor back up to my lip, I came across my upper lip, sideways, and sliced two, neat, inch-long cuts into my upper lip, on the left side of my mouth. Now, for the next few days, I anticipate all food and drink having to enter through the right side of my mouth before it can be masticated and swallowed.

Defining "Haussome"

Session 3 of the Hero's Journey program wrapped up two days ago, and tomorrow we will be heading into the woods for another Session. There are so many observations, reflections, and stories from the week--too many to post now. The one thing I will say is that we taught the participants the meaning of the word "hauss," and likewise what it means to embody "haussomeness." Some examples include:

-A girl who came into the program with both a fear of cooking and of insects, helping to make dinner for everyone on the second full day, as well as ridding her own space of the forest creatures that had managed to find themselves in there.

-A muscular, able, strong, 6'4'' lad raising his hand to ask for help.

-A stand-in-front leader, who was able to take a step back and lead from the side.

-A shy, quiet girl, who spoke up when things needed to get done immediately.

-Another girl, afraid to descend from a 30' tower, zipping into the rainy darkness, blindfolded.

There are stories about all of them, how they successfully met and triumphed repeatedly on their Road of Trials. I speak for the rest of my fellow counselors when I say, "We are all very proud of you."

Graduation Déjà Vu

It seems as if I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in English last year. After all, I did complete all of my graded assigned requirements, bought my cap and gown (skipped on the Honor's tassels--$14?!), participated in Commencement, received my empty diploma, smiled for pictures, had a party, etc. ... Oh, wait a minute, that's right, I never turned in my ungraded Writing Portfolio! The Writing Portfolio for Eastern Connecticut State University consists of a collection of an English major's writing over their time at ECSU, as well as a 300-word essay on what being an English major means to them. Well, I thought it was bullshit, so I never did it. Until March of this year.

I just got a letter from Eastern basically stating, "Congratulations! You've now passed all of our requirements for graduation." So now, instead of having a printing of a 2008 graduation date, my diploma will be printed with a 2009 graduation date. Big deal. I still graduated a year ago. Chalk another score under the "W" column for this guy.

Stand Up and Rock the Boat

As fate would have it, it turns out that I'm going to be in an off Broadway production of Guys & Dolls tomorrow evening. My girlfriend, as some of you know, is a theater major at Roger Williams University. A mutual friend of ours, who was also a RW graduate, had some folks drop out of the show a week before, leaving him scrambling to fill their places. Now, the last time I graced the stage was over a decade ago, for our high school play ... Guys & Dolls. I know the music, some of the dance movements, and I have a pretty good idea of the blocking, which, apparently, makes me an ideal last minute candidate for the role of "Male Chorus Member."

Luck, be a lady these next two days?

On Belay!

For my position as a Wilderness Counselor this summer at Camp, I am spending two full days, along with a dozen other Camp folks, receiving Tower training for our adventure component of the Hero's Journey program. (To read about a good friend currently on a hero's journey, click here and make sure you read his post for April 22, 2009. *If you are Skip and reading this, three things: 1) Conserve your chi, (2) I love you, Brother, and (3) I'm proud of you.) I've been climbing since my year in AmeriCorps, when my roommate took me outside the dorm on our first night there to show me how to traverse bouldering routes on holds that were held fast to the side of the building. Climbing on the Tower at Camp however is a lot different, and I am improving my ken of the sport of climbing by learning about the ropes, knots, and tools of climbing, as well as how and when to use them. Yesterday, we went over identifying routes and belaying; today, we are going to learn more about repeling and rescue climbing.

After a day of climbing, the four other members of the HJ program and I walked down through our sites, and some areas of the Connecticut wilderness we hope to incorporate into the program this year. The sun was low in the sky, gildering the fallen pine needles on the forest floor. Brad, one of the staff, dug up some bulbs of a ramp, a wild scallion, and a few of us delighted in this garlicky treat. The Bigelow Creek was gurgling below us, and above us, the wind was strong enough to make thin pine trees dance. For me, it was a moment of spring bliss, and I look forward to calling these woods my home this summer.

The Manny Diaries

I know, I know, it's been weeks since my last post. In the past five weeks, I have managed to find a part time job as a "manny" (male nanny) for a five year old girl in Warren, Rhode Island, two days a week. Spring has come to New England, so we try to spend as much time outside as we can, coloring the pavement with chalk, identifying plants, trees, and insects, and running around the playgrounds of Bristol County. When the weather is not cooperative with these activities, we build forts and play with dolls. I have played "Barbies" more hours this month than I have in my entire life. ... That's not completely true.

When I'm not playing with Barbies, I've been working on the "Little Shop of Horrors" set at Roger Williams University. The set itself is like a life-sized dollhouse, so I had plenty of insight and recommendations on its construction. I attended my first show last night and the production is a theatrical, and technical, success.